A typical fuse block or fuse box assembly which may be found in modern vehicles is a black, plastic, one-piece assembly containing fuse clips, bus bars which electrically interconnects some of the fuse clips, female spade terminals for flasher units, and circuit breaker clips. Assembled into this unit may be as many as nine glass fuses, four circuit breakers and one flasher. Electrical interconnections from the wiring harness to the fuse block are made by crimping the wires to the fuse clips and by mechanically connecting female spade terminals to male spade terminals which are riveted to the bus bars. This completed assembly is then snapped, locked into and mechanically held by the fire wall main harness connectors.
It has been suggested that the fusing of the electrical system of an automobile could be simplified by using fuses printed on a printed circuit board which is then fastened to the electrical harness. U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,627 issued Apr. 26, 1960 to Bristol et al shows a printed circuit board containing printed fuses. The printed circuit board is mounted by means of an edge connector. This embodiment is cheapest for the manufacturer, but expensive for the vehicle owner in that he must replace the complete circuit board of fuses if only one fuse blows.